Leaning forward she peered through the opening. The Hyksos chariots pulled up with a great flourish, but Kamin skewered one of their number through the heart with his last arrow, before dropping the bow and drawing the sword. Shield in one hand, blade in the other, he took a warrior’s defensive position, right side toward the enemy, knees slightly bent, weight centered, and waited for them to come to him.
The drivers stayed with their chariots, leaving two Hyksos to carry the attack to Kamin. With a great yell and an oath, Kamin charged forward, taking them by surprise. Nima gasped as he slashed the sword arm of the first man, nearly severing it, and then moved in a blur to parry the stroke the second soldier made. He and the enemy fought desperately on the hard-packed earth in front of the chariot. Kamin sliced the other man’s round, wooden shield in half and barely missed decapitating him as his opponent made a fluid sidestep, saving himself. Heart pounding, Nima watched as Kamin pursued his advantage, raining powerful slashes on the other man’s broken shield and sword, fighting with intensity and total concentration. The Hyksos could barely manage to stave off the assault as Kamin drove him to one knee. She’d never seen actual mortal combat, and the violence and speed of the blows were terrifying.
Only the young officer was left on his feet, visibly reluctant to engage in combat. He had his sword drawn but stayed on the sidelines, yelling instructions at his soldier as the man tried to fend off Kamin’s assault. He took tentative steps toward the two combatants but hesitated and raised his shield even though Kamin wasn’t making any moves in his direction.
Yet.
In his death throes, the soldier fell. A bloodstained Kamin, baring his teeth in a feral grin, whirled to face the officer.
Swallowing hard, the young Hyksos lifted his blade as Kamin advanced. “So, it seems you’re not just a craven spy, Egyptian. You have some fighting skills. Be warned, for I’m an officer, trained by the best in our army.”
Laughing, Kamin swung a massive blow against the man’s upraised shield, easily parrying the man’s first slash, forcing him into a stumbling retreat. “Brave words, Hyksos, too bad your training yielded such paltry results!”
Not much of a contest there. Easy prey for Kamin. A furtive movement drew Nima’s attention to the two remaining chariot drivers. One was on the ground, setting an arrow to his bow, waiting for an opening to shoot Kamin and cripple him.
“Oh, no, you don’t,” she said through her teeth, slithering forward in the dirt to leave her shelter.
As she stood to throw her knife, the two drivers spotted her. The archer retargeted, but before he could release the bow string, she’d launched her deadly weapon, hurling it with all the force in her body. The blade buried itself in his heart. A surprised expression on his face, he toppled over, the arrow skittering wildly across the ground. The other driver cursed her in torrents of Hyksos. Frantically, he tied off the reins he held, linking the two chariot teams head to head so they couldn’t wander off while he pursued her.
Nima sprinted to the nearest dead soldier, pawing through his cloak. He must have a knife—where is it? Grabbed from behind, she was yanked to her feet, the soldier trying to get a firm grip and subdue her.
“Egyptian bitch, you’ll be punished for this day’s work,” he muttered in her ear. “And I’ll enjoy watching.”
Kicking at his shins, she bit his arm, taking advantage of his momentary flinch to wrench herself free. Yelling a battle cry, Kamin came running and cut the last Hyksos down on the spot.
Breathing hard, dizzy, Nima sank to her knees. Kamin, splattered with blood, wounded in the arm and leg, glared at her, his own chest heaving like a bellows. He checked the area with one rapid glance, then dropped the sword and shield to kneel beside her.
“Didn’t I tell you to stay under the chariot?” His voice was thick with anger, but his eyes betrayed his concern for her. “Are you hurt?”
Numb, she shook her head, reaching out to touch the edge of his arm wound. “The cowards were going to shoot you in the back. I couldn’t stay hidden—I had to do something. We need to clean and bandage your wounds.”
“Not now, there’s no time. We’ve got to keep going. Amarkash will send more patrols out in the daylight. We have to find a safe place to hole up and rest, plan our next steps.” He pulled off the cloak and ripped two pieces from the hem, holding them out to her. “Can you do a temporary bandage?”
She wound the first strip firmly, but not too tight, tying it off with a neat knot. The other slash was on his thigh, right below his loincloth, and she hesitated a moment. Taking the cloth from her gently, Kamin wrapped his own leg, giving her a sideways glance but not saying anything. He clenched his teeth as he made the bandage tight.
Nima scrambled to her feet, dusting off her skirt. “Which chariot shall we take, then? Do you have a preference?” She walked over to the tethered teams and patted the neck of the nearest horse.
“Actually,” he said, retrieving the sword and shield, then walking slowly after her, “I thought we might take a gamble.”
“A gamble?” Nima bent to the knotted reins lying on the ground, sitting cross-legged to untie the straps for whatever he suggested next.
Joining her, he took the reins she had unknotted. “Are you a betting woman?”
What a reckless gleam he gets in his eyes—impossible to resist. “I can be. I play a wicked game of senet.”
He mimicked rolling dice. “I’ll have to challenge you one day, when we have more time. For now, I was thinking we might send both chariots on their way, in different directions, create two false trails for our pursuers to follow while we hike to those sandstone cliffs over there.” He pointed to the east.
Pivoting on her heel, Nima tried to estimate how much hiking would be required to reach the distant cliffs. “Can we get there by dawn, do you think? Distances are deceiving out here. And what about the injury to your leg?”
“My leg will be fine. Just a cut. ” Taking a step, he gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze of reassurance. “We’ll make it, I promise. And I’m sure from the look of the canyons ahead, we’ll find a cave for us to shelter in.”
“All right.” She gathered her cloak and followed him to the tethered chariots. They rummaged through the baskets and pouches, taking as much water and food as they could carry. Kamin acquired a new, more powerful bow and a leather quiver full of arrows, which he slung across one shoulder before untying the ground hitch and setting both teams of horses bolting with a crack of the whip.
“Now.” He dropped the whip beside their upended vehicle and took Nima by the elbow. “We go as fast as we can in the opposite direction.”
The trip to the cliffs was a blur for Nima. She couldn’t imagine how Kamin stayed so strong with his wounds, minor though he insisted they were, as well as the debilitating effects of two days of forced march as a prisoner. They ran, slowed to a walk and then ran again. Kamin had taken the majority of the supplies to carry, but even the small water skin she’d slung on her back felt like a boulder by the time they stood at the base of the stone formation.
The sun was rising slowly, casting long shadows out into the desert behind them.
“Rest,” Kamin ordered her as he stripped off the supplies and weapons. “Have a seat on this convenient rock and wait while I find us a cave.”
Suddenly afraid to be left alone, she held the rough fabric of his cloak tight in her fist. “What if they come while you’re gone?”
He met her eyes, his face serious but calm. “They won’t, I promise you. If Amarkash sent any more patrols out last night, they’ll be chasing the empty chariots. I don’t want you scrambling around in the rocks until I know where we’re going.”
She released her grip on the cloak and walked over to the perch he’d indicated, lifting herself onto the flat top. “Don’t be gone too long, all right?”
“I give you my word.” He made a half bow and was gone, working his way deeper into the narrow canyon.
Chapter Two
When he eventually returned, Nima sat where he’d left her, wrapped in her cloak and watching the trail for any sign of pursuit. As tumbling pebbles from the incline above announced Kamin’s arrival, she spun around on the boulder, wide-eyed and gasping.
“All clear out there?” he asked, shading his eyes with his hand and gazing across the wide expanse they’d recently traveled.
“I think so. I hope so.” She shoved the dagger into her belt and flipped her long braid over her shoulder, then slid off the rock into his arms. “Did you find us a place to rest?”
“A snug little cave, with its own stream running down the middle. Can you guess the best part?” He helped her steady herself and then stepped away. She’s such a petite armful. Desire swept through his body. Willing himself to think of something other than Nima, he headed for the small stack of provisions and weapons. Control yourself. After being brutalized by the Hyksos, I’m sure she’s not in the mood for me to make advances. He collected the water and provisions while she leaned on the boulder.
He held out his hand, and she put her slender fingers into his, letting him lead her for the first few feet up the trail, saying as she hiked, “I know nothing about caves. What’s so pleasing, then?”
“No occupants to battle us for possession of the space.” He half lifted her over the first boulder on the path. “If you can handle a few minutes of climbing, we’ll be there. Today you can rest in safety, if not much comfort.”
The climb wasn’t too arduous, and Kamin was constantly at her elbow to assist her as needed, ensuring she didn’t fall.
“You climb well for a novice,” he said after they’d navigated a particularly steep gorge. The gods couldn’t have sent me a better partner for this mad escape. Another soldier wouldn’t have been able to free us the way she did. Few women could maintain the pace as she does.
Hands on hips, Nima paused to take a few deep breaths. “Dancer, remember? Strong legs, excellent balance.”
Oh, yes, I have no problem at all remembering you’re a dancer, with those beautiful legs. Now is not the time for me to think about your legs. Closing his eyes for a second at the mental picture of those shapely limbs wrapped around him, holding him close as he buried his cock in her warmth, Kamin moved up the hill, berating himself. Where’s my self-control? This woman has far too much of an effect on me for the dangerous situation we’re in. “The cave is after the next bend, not much farther.”
When they reached the grotto, she ducked under the ledge and stretched with a sigh of pleasure. “Spacious indeed,” she said. “A palace among caves.”
“Refresh yourself with a drink from the stream. The water’s cold and pure.”
Nima knelt and washed her face, then drank from her cupped hands while he deposited their supplies against the far wall.
Pointing to a large, fallen slab next to the cave wall, he said, “I suggest you rest here. I’m going to drag some bushes in front of the entrance, hide us from view, in case any Hyksos wander nearby.”
“I should make something to eat,” she protested, drying her face and hands on the edge of her skirt.
“We can’t risk a fire. Much as I’d enjoy tasting whatever you could cook from our small store of rations, I can take care of myself. You need to rest. You’ve been running on nervous energy all night.” He surveyed her from head to toe. “Probably since the Hyksos captured you, yes?”
Grimacing, Nima rubbed her hand over her lower legs. “How did you know? Aches and pains I’ve been ignoring are prodding me for attention.”
He walked over to spread his cloak on the large, flat rock. “Sit here. Relax. I’m only sorry I can’t make it into a luxurious couch, soft and cozy.”
“I’ll manage.” Grabbing one of the small sacks, she wadded it up to serve as a crude pillow.
He pointed at her red, lacerated wrists. “After I’ve created some camouflage, I want to examine those rope burns for you, clean them at least.”
“And I need to bandage your injuries for you.” Yawning, she rubbed her eyes. “If I fall asleep, wake me, all right?”
With serious reservations, Kamin nodded. If she can sleep under these conditions, I’m not going to rouse her to take care of me. Pausing, he watched her lean her head against the wall, cushioned by the sack, and close her eyes. Only when her breathing had evened out and he was sure she was asleep did he go outside to construct his camouflage wall.
***
Cherry-colored flames with yellow and violet cores crackling everywhere, above and below. The blackened roof timbers groaned, glowing from the inside out. How much longer would they hold? Small pieces were falling away each moment, burning embers igniting new blazes wherever they fell. Wind generated by the fire itself blew sparks in a mad whirl.
Her skin hot, dry as the desert to the point of pain. I’m baking alive.
The screams from every direction had stopped or were muffled by the roaring flames. She couldn’t stay where she was, but if she broke cover and ran, the attackers would see her. The hem of her dress smoldered where an ember landed with a hiss, catching fire. Hurriedly, she beat it out, but the heat was too intense and the noxious black smoke was choking her. Give up, stay here and die, anything is better than being captured. But even as she tried to convince herself, her body was moving frantically, instinctively, to find air and relief from the fire. Shielding her head with her arms, she ran into the hall, crouching low to breathe. She sprawled full length over a body in the corridor.
Scrambling to her knees as a portion of the ceiling collapsed behind her, Nima scrabbled her way to the stairs. The entire upper floor exploded into a solid sheet of flames. She threw herself down the stairs, slithering on her belly in a mad rush, crouching as low as she could when she fell off the bottom riser.
Avoiding several more corpses in the main room of the inn, she frantically brushed embers out of her hair. Weaving a path between smoldering columns, crawling at some points, she tried to orient herself in the inferno. Find the door. The place she knew so well was now an unrecognizable scene from hell. It was as if the legendary lake of fire, where demons and condemned souls lived, had somehow poured through the inn’s doors and windows.
Chest burning and constricted, coughing so deeply her ribs ached, Nima burst out of the burning inn, dodging a falling beam at the doorway. She staggered a few more steps, drawing in deep, gasping breaths of the cool night air as she fell to her knees. Suddenly, she was seized from behind by a laughing Hyksos soldier, who lifted her like a child and spun her to face him.
“We expected you’d come out eventually, rather than burn to death, dancer,” he jeered, mouth next to her lips as he pawed at her scorched linen dress, ripping the neckline and exposing her breasts.
Screaming, Nima clawed his face with her nails. A second man crowded behind her, his aroused cock pressing urgently against her bottom, his hands raising her dress past her thighs, while the first soldier caressed her. The two men were forcing her to the ground despite her terrified resistance, other soldiers gathering to participate, touching her, restraining her. Her vision was going black. Thunder crashed as the inn fell—
No, it was a steady heartbeat under her ear, strong arms holding her reassuringly, not groping. She was pressed to a broad chest, a soothing voice murmuring soft words to her in crisp Egyptian, not growling Hyksos. Trying to calm her breathing, she let the words pour over her shattered nerves while the immediate terror of the dream receded.
“Easy, easy, shh, Nima, you’re here with me now. No harm will come to you, I promise. Wake up, shake off the dream world. Open your eyes, see you’re safe. Remember, we escaped together? I promised no harm would come to you.”
Nima concentrated on the deep, reassuring voice promising protection, drawing her out of the nightmare. Taking a shuddering breath, she opened her eyes, realizing she was safe in Kamin’s arms.
Relieved to see her emerging from the grip of the nightmare, he loosened his embrace the moment she made a slight movement to put distance b
etween them. Gently, he stroked his hand through her hair, rubbed her back in circles. Shudders racked her body.
“You were screaming so loud your throat must be raw,” he said. “I couldn’t wake you.”
“I was in the flames, the inn burning. And then the men attacking me—” She caught her breath on a huge sob.
Gods, what an ordeal she’s been through. Kamin quelled his automatic response to her, his desire for her, which was nigh impossible with her sitting across his thighs. But she wouldn’t wake up no matter what I did, she was fighting the terrors of the dream so desperately. “I’m sorry you had to go through the ordeal. I wish I’d been there to defend you.”
An edge of hysteria sharpened her laugh. “Amarkash came and reprimanded the soldiers, made them stop before they’d done more than frighten and bruise me. He said they had their orders, to treat me as untouchable, meant for someone else.”
“For himself,” Kamin said with fury, grinding his teeth. “The bastard.”
She shook her head. “No, he didn’t assault me either, thank the gods. He—he enjoyed inflicting pain. He enjoyed tying me up each night, describing awful things his general was going to do to me when we reached their fortress, but he didn’t go any further.”
“His general?” Kamin’s brow was furrowed. “He kidnapped you for someone else?” Odd behavior, even for a Hyksos.
Wiping away a few lingering tears, Nima sniffed. “Apparently, the Hyksos had been to the village before, and several others in the area, and had seen me dance. My family travels through the Shield of Egypt province giving shows.”
Nodding, Kamin said, “The Hyksos have been studying this nome. I can easily believe they traveled the province in disguise to gain information on their targets before attacking.”
Nima blotted the moisture on her face with her sleeve. “Well, this general apparently gave strict orders I was to be captured at all costs and brought to him. Untouched.”
Dancer of the Nile (Gods of Egypt) Page 3
